Video shows robbers shoot and kill gas station worker

MADERA, California -- With his hands up, cornered behind the register, Dharahmapreet Jasser gave the robbers what they wanted.

At one point, the 21-year-old even gets the bank bag and places it on the floor for the suspects.

Madera County Det. John Grayson says the helpless clerk was confronted by two masked men.

"He's on his knees with both hands up, with palms facing up, fingers spread apart. The suspect has fired one shot," Grayson points out.

A single frame taken from the surveillance video shows the flash from the first gunshot.

Grayson testified Thursday he watched the surveillance footage about 50 times trying to identify the killers.

"He had a blue bandanna over his face. He had on dark colored pants. His pants were on backward. He had a dark colored belt with a shiny tip that was hanging down," Grayson testified.

Deputies were able to identify the suspects in part because their bandannas fell from their faces exposing many of their facial features.

Amritraj Singh Athwal is the alleged gunman who deputies say wore socks during the crime. His cousin, Savirant, is accused of being an accomplice who prosecutors say carted out close to 60 cartons of cigarettes.

Brooks Wilson recalled two men flagged him down in the parking of the Hampton Inn, off Highway 99 in Fresno. He was working as a security guard and took note of what the pair left behind when they drove away.

"I saw a pack of cigarettes on the ground and a black zip-tie and some other trash that was on the ground," Wilson said.

The cigarettes still had plastic around them and were never opened. Wilson wondered why they asked him for a smoke when they arrived.

Only later did Wilson recognize the pair after he started seeing their mugshots on the news after they were arrested.

Prosecutors believe the suspects went to the motel right after the murder.

On Thursday, the judge held both Amritraj and Savirant Singh Athwal to answer.

If convicted, they could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.